Hi guys! We are huge fans of Paula Stokes over here so we’re really honored and excited to be bringing you a giveaway for Paula’s latest book! It’s a return to mystery and it sounds amazing! Turning over to Paula now!
Paula: Hi peeps 🙂 A big thank you to Rashika and Giselle for having me on Xpresso Reads to talk about my forthcoming mystery, HIDDEN PIECES, releasing on Aug 28. Of course there is a giveaway, but first here’s a little info about the book in case you’re unfamiliar.
Hidden Pieces by Paula Stokes
Published by HarperTeen on August 28th, 2018
Genres: Contemporary, Mystery, YA
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“Stokes delivers a classic whodunit, masterfully played.” –ALA Booklist, starred review
Embry Woods has secrets. Small ones about her past. Bigger ones about her relationship with town hero Luke and her feelings for someone new. But the biggest secret she carries with her is about what happened that night at the Sea Cliff Inn. The fire. The homeless guy. Everyone thinks Embry is a hero, too, but that couldn’t be further from the truth.
Embry thinks she’ll have to take the secret to her grave, until she receives an anonymous note—someone else knows the truth. Next comes a series of threatening messages, asking Embry to make impossible choices, forcing her to put her loved ones at risk. Someone is playing a high stakes game where no one in Embry’s life is safe. And their last move...is murder.
Character Profiles
Embry:
Embry Woods is an 18-year-old girl who likes photography and the ocean, but isn’t sure what she’s going to do after she graduates from high school. Her mom is recovering from breast cancer, and even though she’s in remission now, Embry worries obsessively about her. Embry and her military boyfriend decided to take a break when he deployed overseas, but he’s made it clear he’s still in love with her so she feels horribly guilty that she’s started seeing someone else…who just happens to be her best friend’s Julia’s ex-boyfriend. Embry knows she should tell both of them the truth, but she can’t figure out a way to do it without losing someone important from her life. The fire at the start of the story adds to Embry’s feelings of guilt and helplessness and it takes being pushed to the very edge by a threatening stranger for Embry to find the courage to do finally what’s right. But will she change her ways before someone she loves pays the ultimate price?
Embry’s mom:
Claire Woods is a 38-year-old woman who got pregnant with Embry at age 19 by an older married man. A scandal ensued, resulting in Embry’s father moving away with his family and Claire becoming the town pariah. Despite that, she has always believed that Embry is the very best thing in her life and she would do anything for her daughter. Gradually, people got over Claire’s “bad behavior” and she returned to work at the family café, which she now owns, though she took the summer off from running it to recover from her radiation and surgery.
Holden:
Holden Hassler is an 18-year-old vegan who enjoys reading and painting. (Yes, he’s a quintessential Portland boy, minus the man bun). He’s also one of the smartest kids at Tillamook High. Despite that, he’s not interested in going to college and is considering trying to get an apprenticeship at an auto repair shop in town because he currently works at the gas station and enjoys fixing cars. His parents are divorced and he lives with his mom, a local police officer, so he spends a lot of time trying (and failing) to stay out of trouble. The word on the street is that he looks like a young Jared Leto, but I’ll let you decide if that’s a good thing or a bad thing.
Julia:
Julia Worthington has been Embry’s best friend since she and her family moved to Three Rocks during middle school. The girls spent all their free time at the beach in seventh and eighth grade, but as they got older they developed different interests and have started to grow apart. Julia wants to work in politics someday so she spent the previous summer interning with a think tank in Washington D.C. She plans to attend Harvard or Georgetown to major in political science and is currently working on applications for both.
Betsy:
Betsy is a Golden Retriever and very good (okay, mostly good) doggo. But animal lovers, rest easy, nothing bad happens to her during the book, unless you count the time she has to do her business outside in the rain.
About the Author
Paula Stokes writes stories about flawed characters with good hearts. She’s the author of several novels, most recently Vicarious and Girl Against the Universe. Her writing has been translated into eleven foreign languages. Paula loves kayaking, hiking, reading, and seeking out new adventures in faraway lands She also loves interacting with readers.
Giveaway!
One (1) winner receives:
Copy of the book
- OPEN INT! U.S. winner will receive a signed ARC and INT winner will receive pre-order + signed bookplate mailed separately.
- Xpresso Reads will not be responsible for any lost/damaged items
- You must be 13+ or have parental permission to participate
- No Cheating Allowed
- A new winner will be picked if the initial winner does not respond within 48 hours.
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